Sunday, June 15, 2008

Everyone is a lobbyist

So, I have been in local government for all of 5 minutes and I have already learned a valuable lesson. Everyone is a lobbyist.

Okay- maybe I have been in local government for more than 5 minutes, it has actually been a little over two months.

Probably the most important lesson I have learned from these first two months is that everyone is a lobbyist.

I have been stopped in grocery stores, restaurants, and even while I was out shopping at the local Walmart. I have received phone calls, emails and received letters in the mails.

There are lobbyists everywhere I turn. Every person I talk to has an opinion one way or another about a wide variety of issues.

I have been approached about every issue you can think of. One gentleman in particular wants me to fix the problems with NASA. I tried to gently explain to the man that a Kenosha alderman really has very little involvement with our national space program, but I encouraged him to write a letter to his congressman to see what he could do.

Everything from paint ball guns, to garbage cans, to tree branches, to potholes, to clean water, to lawn mowing, to fences, to no parking signs, to fire stations, to local parks and beaches, to local city contracts and yes, even to property taxes, someone has lobbied me on these subjects.

Guess what?

Lobbying is okay.

Lobbying is a good thing! This is my job! It is my job to listen to you and do whatever I can to improve the situation for you. It then becomes my job to lobby for you.

Now there are some in our government that would have you believe that lobbyists and lobbying is wrong.

Much fuss and muss has been made by Senator Obama about lobbyist. He is above the lobbyists and the lobbying- at least that is what he would like you to believe.

Lobbyists are evil- at least according to Senator Barack Obama.

I do not agree.

I believe that every single time Senator Obama hoots and hollers about lobbyists, he is denying some American somewhere their constitutional right to lobby their government.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that their are some lobbyists that are willing to do some illegal, immoral and unethical things in order to get their particular grievance addressed.

For example- a local businessman can lobby his government for very lucrative contracts to build low income housing and then they receive those contracts from their government. The local businessman then helps raise over a quarter of a million dollars for the government that gave him these contracts. The local businessman may even help one of these government agents to purchase a very expensive home in a upscale neighborhood.

This action by a lobbyist and the government officials that have been bought off is illegal, immoral and unethical.

Speaking of illegal, immoral and unethical, perhaps Senator Obama should answer some tough questions about his buddy Tony Rezko. What do you think?

Even so, the people of this country have the ABSOLUTE right to lobby their government. Americans have the right to complain, get angry and launch into action to get their government's attention.

The moment anyone like Senator Barack Obama attempts to deny people the right to lobby their government, you need to stop them in their tracks.

Yes, their are a lot of groups lobbying in Washington, Madison and even Kenosha. Their are many local citizens that have banned together to make their voices stronger in Washington and those voices deserve to be heard.

You will find groups such as Citizens Against Government Waste, Freedom Works and American Solutions that lobby in Washington to make sure the voice of the people is getting the proper attention it needs in Washington.

There are even unions that have banned together and are in Washington, Madison and Kenosha that all deserve to be heard. (Does anyone doubt that Senator Obama will greatly benefit from these lobbyist during this presidential election?)

You have a right to petition your government with your grievances and do not let anyone, even a candidate for president, tell you otherwise.

Every single time Senator Obama attempts to tell you about evil lobbyists, just grab your copy of the Bill of Rights and read the first Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Yes, ever American is a lobbyist and they have a right to be.

Don't let anyone deny you your right to lobby your government.

There are still plenty of people out their willing to listen to your grievances, even if Barack Obama has tuned out.